"The speech was uneven in delivery, too long, and suffered from the curse of comprehesiveness, which at times made Obama seem almost more defensive than feisty and may have even allowed some viewers to drift off between the best lines." --Katherine Marsh, The New Republic

I must not have the chops to be an official pundit. By the time O's speech last night reached its conclusion, the wife and I were clapping and grinning like Cheshire cats. I thought Biden's was good & rousing, too, no doubt further proving my unworthiness for employment by Politico.

Somehow all the punditizers forget one thing about that 2008 speech: It was the first time a black candidate had ever received a major party nomination for president. Whatever the merits of the speech itself, to everyone hearing it it was much more freighted with meaning than just another political speech. It was a good speech, but the emotions of the listeners inevitably made it unforgettable. In contrast, last night Obama was making a president's renomination speech. It should be compared to other renomination speeches, not to historic First Ever speeches.